1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to torque wrenches. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved swivel body for allowing an inline ratcheting tool to swivel in a 365 degree path while providing increased stability to the assembly to prevent failure of the assembly during high pressure conditions.
2. General Background of the Invention
In the use of inline ratcheting tools, of the type, for example found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,730, include hydraulically controlled torque wrenches where there is incorporated a standard wrench body which is connected to a reciprocating power head, with the power head being operated through a hydraulic cylinder which receives hydraulic fluid from a source. When such wrenches are placed in use, because of the nature of the operation that these wrenches undertake, it is often desirable that the wrench have the ability to be engaged to the source of hydraulic fluid through the use of a swivel body, where the wrench can be moved in a 360 degree path, in order to facilitate its use on the job site.
Such swivel bodies are commonly known, and usually include a swivel body which accommodates a stem member through the body, with the stem member having a port through the stem, with one end of the stem threadably engaged to the source of hydraulic fluid. The swivel body would include a threaded port extending out from the swivel body, which would threadably engage onto the hydraulic line of the wrench, with the stem member and the body being sealed in such a manner that fluid passing through the stem would be routed into the arm of the stem body for activating the wrench.
One of the shortcomings that is encountered in such a swivel body currently known in the art is the fact that the stem member which has been inserted into the swivel body is normally held in place by a retainer ring on the second end of the stem member which has been forcibly engaged into a slot in the wall of the stem, to maintain it in place while it is engaged on the swivel body during use. However, it has been common that under high pressure conditions, should the retainer ring undergo blunt contact, the retainer ring may be disengaged from the assembly body, and the stem may dislodge from the body and accidents could occur from that occurrence. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an improved swivel body assembly which would provide that under no conditions once the stem member is engaged within the stem body that the stem is maintained within the stem body and inadvertent dislodging of the stem body from the assembly body does not occur.